Muller-Thurgau

Time for another batch of wine! Can't have 28 bottles of red wine without 28 bottles of white! While at the wine and beer store getting the sleeves, decided to pick up 3 gallons of concentrated German Muller-Thurgau grape juice.

I know, the Germans aren't exactly known for their wine...but the process for making beer is pretty much the same as wine except your using grains instead of fruit...and it was one of the cheaper boxes to choose from.

This batch required some elder flowers to be added rather than oak since its a white wine. Added the bentonite and yeast and it is time for the waiting game. The bentonite absorbs the proteins of the solution helping become more clear and avoid getting flocculent clouds in the wine. The flowers just smell nice.

Adding some yeast...

Hmmmmm!Time to wait for 5 days until racking...

Whiff Of Grapeshot

Alright, so even after putting the labels on the bottles they still looked naked. There was no way I was going to get little outfits for them. Instead, made another trip to the wine and beer supply store and got some crazy sleeves for them. There were like 20 different kinds, ended up getting the gold and burgundy ones. Tell me that this doesn't look like a bottle you'd pick up at your local wine & spirits shop...or if you life in a cool state, your food market.


If your wondering where the title came from... In 1795, Bonaparte was serving in Paris when royalists and counter-revolutionaries organized an armed protest against the National Convetion on October 3rd. Bonaparte was given command of the improvised forces defending the Convention in theTuileries Palace. He seized artillery pieces with the aid of a young cavalry officer, Joachim Murat, who later became his brother-in-law. He used the artillery the following day to repel the attackers. He later boasted that he had cleared the streets with a "whiff of grapshot", although the fighting had been vicious throughout Paris. This triumph earned him sudden fame, wealth, and the patronage of the new Directory.

Would You Like Some Cheese With Your Whine?

Seemed like the wine bottles were missing something, they just looked too naked. Also I was really bored so made some labels for them. I made one label and printed out a couple copies, but it didn't occupy enough of my time so I then made 10 different labels.

Of course when I actually put them on the bottles I managed to smear the ink on them and they didn't turn out that great. The only thing that would make them look better would to get some sleeves to slide on the top. If only it would make it taste better...

Booze Cruise

After about a month the wine was finally ready to bottle. The directions said to go ahead and take a sample to drink and check to see if it has cleared. It was pretty clear, but it didn't taste very good.

Its really sour, but there is definitely some alcohol in it so I guess the process was worth it. The wine should age in the bottles for at least 3 months before drinking, so maybe they'll taste a little bit better by then but it probably will not.

Here is the sweet siphon set up...

With the 6 gallon carboy, we got about 28 bottles of wine out of it. Of course the corker we got was horrible and we messed up the first couple of bottles. But we finally got the hang of it. It might be worth it to just rent a better one for the next batch.

This past Thursday, John, Rich, Ryan, and Adam came over. It was pretty random, they must of been really bored. Rich came over really just to watch Transformers on the big screen. Everyone else came over to see me, I think...at least that's what they said. Of course when my mom got word they were coming over she had to have something for them to eat.

Dinner consisted of three pounds of pasta, a huge bowl of bolognaise sauce, salad, and buffalo wings? Not sure how often spaghetti and buffalo wings are eaten together, but it was good.

After the movie, played some pool and called it the night.

All Dogs Go to Heaven

~ Daisy~

After putting Daisy through three days of treatment, her kidneys did not make any significant improvement. The vet said I could take her home for a few hours before having to bring her back to put her down. Though after talking a bit she agreed that we could even have her stay with us over night.

The vet then said,"not to make you feel concerned or anything, but Daisy may die on her own tonight...". Yeah right, my dog wouldn't die on me. Well, not over one night. So I took home Sunday night, brushed her, petted her, and took like 100 pictures of her.

Witnessing Daisy being put to sleep was probably the hardest thing ever. But it was just a matter of time she would die. Her kidneys would soon fail and she hasn't had a bite to eat for over a week. I guess the worst part of the whole thing was that she tried to bite the catheter while they were injecting the anesthetic like she wasn't ready to die.

Daisy was a great dog, the only thing that would have made a her a better dog would probably being able to open the fridge and make me a sandwich and grab me a beer. I'll miss her.

I was pretty bummed out, I don't think I've ever cried so much in my life...She lived a pretty good life, lived almost 15 years.

Pictures of Daisy...

Poor Daisy

Visited Daisy again tonight. She didn't look too good. Though she started walking some more and drinking more water which was good to hear. But when we came in to see her she looked really tired. The vet called later and said that she really needs to start eating again soon, but it seems food still just makes her really nauseous.

It was also kind of hard to see her with tubes coming out of her and she was shaking a little bit, almost like seizing but that could because she is still really weak. She is making improvements though. Hopefully she will be a bit better in the morning.

Oh and her pee is clearer which is a sign her kidneys are getting better.
Poor Daisy...
She looks really tired here.
At least the deer outside looked like they were having a good time.